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WWII Triple-Ace Col Bud Anderson Has Passed Away

Mike Killian
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WWII Triple-Ace Col Bud Anderson Has Passed Away

WWII triple-ace fighter pilot legend Col Bud Anderson (ret.) has passed away. He was 102 years young.

“On 17 May 2024 at 5:29pm, Anderson passed away in his home peacefully in his sleep surround by his family,” said his family in a statement. “We were blessed to have him as our father. Dad lived an amazing life and was loved by many.”

Anderson shot down 16 Nazi Luftwaffe

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Col bud anderson with his mustang “old crow” in wwii (photo courtesy, bud anderson family)

He and his “Yoxford Boys” with the 357th Fighter Group, 363rd Fighter Squadron (8th Air Force) based at Leiston Field, UK made quick work of German Luftwaffe. They shot down 600 between 1943 and 1945, producing more than 40 flying aces.

With his Mustang “Old Crow”, Anderson served in 2 major combat tours. He flew 116 combat missions in Europe, shooting down 16 adversaries. Chuck Yeager even flew with Anderson.

“It was a wonderful airplane,” Anderson said of the iconic P-51. “It probably saved the air war in Europe and affected the European war in a major respect.”

Jimmy Doolittle was Anderson’s hero

Anderson said legendary Gen. James “Jimmy” Doolittle was his hero, for letting American fighter pilots pursue attacking Luftwaffe.

“He was my hero,” Anderson said. “Doolittle came in and turned things around and let the fighter pilots fight and, as a matter of fact, that allowed us to defeat the Luftwaffe. He said go for ’em, leave the bombers and destroy them anyway you can. We gained air superiority by killing their fighter pilots.”

Bud was in D-Day

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The beach assault begins on D-day (dod photo)

“I wish they would have given us GPS’s during World War II,” said Anderson. “Flying with 32 other planes at the same time, in the dark on D-Day was terrifying.”

“It was the longest mission that I had ever flown,” recalled Anderson. “We took off on an early, dark morning. I remember logging over 6 hours that day. We were on patrol behind the lines to be there at daylight. It was intense, to say the least; however, I was not scared.”

“D-Day was such a turning point and significant event in American history,” Anderson said. “The fact that I participated in defeating the opposition so that the invasion could happen is very important to American history. However, I believe that it was also a double-edged sword. Although we defeated a large number of the enemy, we suffered tremendous loss. We must continue making it a priority to honor those who did not make it back to their country.”

Anderson earned many awards and decorations

Col Anderson earned numerous decorations in his 30-year career. They include 2 Legion of Merits, 5 Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star, 16 Air Medals, the French Legion of Honor & the French Croix de Guerre. In 2015, he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, with all the American Fighter Aces.

In 2017, Bud was inducted into the EAA Warbirds of America Hall of Fame and awarded the Air Force Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

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Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Clarence E. “Bud” Anderson, WWII Triple Ace, 357th Fighter Group pilot on May 15, 2022. (Usaf photo by Senior Airman Alexander Merchak)

Other highlights of his career include duty as commander of an F-86 fighter squadron in post-war Korea, and commander of an F-105 tactical fighter wing on Okinawa. He also served on 2 Pentagon assignments.

After retiring from active duty, he worked at the F-15 test facility at Edwards AFB. Anderson joined McDonnell Aircraft, where he worked for 12 years as an assistant manager and then manager of the company’s flight test facility.

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WWII Pilot Clarence “Bud” Anderson photographed at his Auburn, CA home on Tuesday September 28th, 2021; inset: Anderson sitting on the wing of his P-51D Mustang “Old Crow” (photos courtesy of bud anderson family)

Anderson was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2008. Anderson was promoted to the honorary rank of brigadier general in 2022 by USAF Chief of Staff.

He was inducted into the San Diego Air and Space Museum’s International Air and Space Hall of Fame in 2013.

You can see the P-51 that flies as a tribute to Anderson

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Photo credit: roush aviation

Mr. Jack Roush restored a P-51 Mustang to look exactly as the one Bud flew during WWII, “Old Crow”.

“To all the young people that have the ambition to join the Air Force,” Anderson said, “have at it! You can be what you want to be and you should know that when you like what you do, you can excel, be a better person at your job to do it better.”

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Bud and Eleanor at their mountain home “Sierra Hotel” at Lake Tahoe, CA (courtesy photo bud anderson family)

Over his life, Anderson logged over 7,500 flight hours, in more than 130 types of aircraft.

Perhaps, Anderson and his late friend, Chuck Yeager, are now flying formation together again.

There Can Be Only One: The Saga of the Only SR-71C Ever Built

Bill Walton
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There Can Be Only One: The Saga of the Only SR-71C Ever Built

The C-model Blackbird Was Actually Two Blackbirds Flying in Very Close Formation.

The Lockheed SR-71 is as iconic an aircraft as any that has ever flown. There have been numerous stories, legends, and myths about the Blackbird. This is the story of what may be the most unique SR-71 of them all. The two-seated SR-71C, SN 61-7981- the only SR-71C ever built. Few individual Blackbirds received nicknames of their very own. Collectively they were referred to as “Habu”, after a venomous snake indigenous to Okinawa in Japan where many of them were based during the Vietnam War and for a while thereafter. But 981 was dubbed “The Bastard.” Not because she was a particularly cantankerous bird. It was because 981 was actually two aircraft flying in very close formation.

Lockheed SR-71C

Building the Bastard

She was actually two airframes pieced together. The forward half of 981 was actually never meant to fly at all. The structure was intended for use as an engineering mockup built for static (ground) testing only. But when one of the only two SR-71B two-seated trainers crashed on 11 January 1968, the decision was made to piece together a replacement trainer from available parts. The first YF-12A prototype, SN 60-6934, was mated to the mockup by Lockheed engineers at their Palmdale facility in California. This is where things got “interesting.”

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Photo Credit Habu.org / Lockheed Martin

Not on the Straight and Level

When 981 began flying on 14 March 1969, it became obvious that the geometry of the airframe was not entirely sorted out. Lockheed test pilots Robert J. Gilliland (pilot) and Steve Belgeau (RSO) reported some trim and control issues. When the jet was delivered to Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) for Air Force acceptance testing, the issues came into clearer focus. A team of Air Force test pilots took 16 flights over several weeks to determine the issues.

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When Yaw Isn’t Really Yaw at All

The Air Force had Lockheed install a beta (yaw) indicator because the dynamically variable inlets and the associated bypass doors were not staying in sync with each other. The rudders also needed to be trimmed, which meant that they were out of their normal streamlined positions which increased drag on the airplane. The inlets remained a problem as well. After installing a Nomex yaw string, it was observed that 981 was indicating four degrees of yaw on the beta indicator but the high-tech yaw string was centered- indicating no yaw at all.

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There Can Be Only One: The Saga of the Only SR-71C Ever Built 13

Hit it With a Hammer and Presto!

Some head-scratching and brainstorming ensued, and when it was finally determined that the pitot boom was out of alignment, by the same four degrees as indicated on the beta, things got finally got sorted out. With the flight computers receiving valid inputs from the pitot system, 981 flew just like the B model and as normally as any SR-71 Blackbird could be said to fly “normally.”  She was delivered to the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB in California for operational use on 3 September 1970.

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981 at the Hill AFB museum. Photo courtesy of Jeff Jackson.

A Low-Time Airframe

981 helped train many of the pilots who flew SR-71s on their famous missions. The only operational difference between the B model and the C was that the C model had one fewer internal fuel tank, so refueling procedures were slightly different. 981 was a natural for taking VIPs on familiarization flights.  But an SR-71 can’t pay the bills doing FAM flights. She flew operationally for the last time on 11 April 1976. “The Bastard” had only 737.3 hours on the clock when removed from flying status on 24 June 1976. 180.9 of those hours were actually only on the YF-12A portion of the airframe- flown before the creation of the jet. But because she was one of only two of her kind she was kept at Beale as a standby for the B.

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A Fitting Resting Place for a Famous Jet

After the decision was made to enshrine 981 at the Hill AFB Aerospace Museum in April of 1990, all that was left to do was get her there. That proved to be a bit of an undertaking, but nothing the 67th Aerial Port Squadron (APS) and the 405th Combat Logistics Support Squadron (CLSS) couldn’t handle. The Blackbird was disassembled and carried to Hill in a C-5A Galaxy airlifter for reassembly and display. Air Force Reservists, active-duty USAF personnel, and volunteers got the job done in about two months. The only SR-71C ever built was towed to the museum and placed on display on 16 October 1991.

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Check Out the F-16 Demo Team’s FALCON 50 Heritage Jet

Mike Killian
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Check Out the F-16 Demo Team’s FALCON 50 Heritage Jet

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary and lethal F-16 Fighting Falcon. Pilots call it the Viper, and the USAF F-16 Viper Demo Team just unveiled the coolest plane of the year. Check out their new FALCON 50 heritage jet!

It’s painted in the original livery worn by the YF-16 prototype that first flew in 1974 under the control of test pilot Phil Oestricher. The jet wasn’t actually supposed to fly that day, but Oestricher was faced with either taking off or crashing when nearly losing control on the high-speed taxi run.

He decided to takeoff, and was able to gain control of the jet and land safely. You can read all about that day in our previous story on the first F-16.

A lot of work to paint the demo jet

“When I was hired to be the commander and pilot last year, I made it known that I hoped to get our airplane painted in the prototype scheme,” said Capt. Taylor “FEMA” Hiester, commander and pilot of the F-16 Viper Demo Team.

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F-16 Viper demo team pilot and commander, Captain Taylor “FEMA” Hiester. (USAF photo)

“I want to take America back to the beginning of the story that started 50 years ago.”

Just getting a “yes” approval on the idea from leadership can be a huge challenge, and this was no different. However, with the support of the team’s home base 20th Fighter Wing, Hiester eventually got the yes.

A secret job

He contacted a friend at Edwards AFB, who recently directed a 50th anniversary event there for the F-16.

The idea was kept hush. More calls were made, and soon the personnel needed were onboard.

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50th anniversary heritage viper over edwards afb, ca, fliwn by usaf captain Taylor “FEMA” Hiester (usaf photo)

In an interview with The Warzone, Hiester recalled flying the jet to Edwards in secret. He even changed the flight’s call sign, to throw off any tracking avgeeks.

The 412th Corrosion Shop took on the paint job, with extreme care. A few slight changes were made to the design, to differentiate the demo jet from the original. They put “20th Fighter Wing” on the airframe instead of “General Dynamics,” and added “Viper Demo” to the vertical stabilizer.

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2024 F-16 viper demo team with their 50th anniversary F-16 demo jet (usaf photo)

Even now, new F-16s are being produced, modernized for the years ahead.

Coming to an air show near you, hopefully

The team has a busy year ahead, showing off the heritage Viper to millions of spectators across the U.S. and Canada.

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Check Out the F-16 Demo Team’s FALCON 50 Heritage Jet 18

Call sign, “FALCON 50”.

“The honor of a lifetime,” says Hiester.

This Solar Flare is Why You May Have Lost Signal Flying Today

Mike Killian
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This Solar Flare is Why You May Have Lost Signal Flying Today

A massive solar flare that erupted from the sun is why some of you experienced a sudden lost signal while flying today. The flare affected aviators, ham radio operators and others using frequencies below 30 MHz.

Today’s flare is the strongest of the sun’s current solar cycle so far

The sun is incredibly active right now. That’s why we just experienced the strongest geomagnetic storm in 20 years. Multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the sun slammed Earth this past weekend, showering all of the United States in Northern Lights. Even Mexico and the Caribbean got a show.

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A powerful geomagnetic storm over minnesota on may 10, 2024, caused by the same sunspot which caused today’s solar flare (mike killian photo)

That spectacular event did not cause any widespread or significant impacts to our communications, but such storms can. Another major solar flare just occurred today, and it’s being blamed for a deep shortwave blackout across half the planet.

Today’s flare is the strongest of the sun’s current solar cycle so far. The flare shot out extreme ultraviolet radiation which ionized Earth’s upper atmosphere.

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Red zones in the map show where shortwave radio signals are being absorbed. Inside the Arctic Circle, frequencies below 30 MHz are almost completely blacked out (caption and image credit – spaceweather.com)

Could last for days, with more flares and CMEs possible

It’s probably not over, either. The sunspot that unleashed the flare was behind the edge of the sun’s disk when it erupted. Any CME would have been shot away from Earth, so we won’t get another big Aurora storm this time.

However, the sunspot’s location actually makes it more dangerous, according to SpaceWeather.com, because it’s passing over a region that is magnetically connected to Earth.

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Today’s X8.7-class solar flare photographed by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory

More flares could be coming, as well as CMEs. The event may last several days. You can monitor it here via NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center.

That side of the sun will rotate back towards Earth in 2 weeks.

FAA Order May Delay First Artemis, Starship Moon Landings

Mike Killian
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FAA Order May Delay First Artemis, Starship Moon Landings

A new FAA order for an environmental review of SpaceX’s Starship ops at Kennedy Space Center in Florida may delay the first Artemis, SpaceX moon landings.

Right now, NASA has a $4.2 billion contract with SpaceX to develop a Starship variant to land NASA’s first Artemis astronauts at the moon’s South Pole on Artemis-3 by the end of 2026. SpaceX hopes to fly an un-crewed Starship lunar landing test in 2025, to give NASA confidence for a crewed landing.

Starship is not far enough developed to support landing by 2026

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FAA Order May Delay First Artemis, Starship Moon Landings 28

That schedule however will likely change. Word through the aerospace grapevine is Artemis-3 will be a lunar mission, no matter where Starship development is. There is already work on changing Artemis-3’s mission parameters to a lunar orbit mission, rather than a crewed landing.

Artemis-4 is slated to be a mission to put a space station in lunar orbit, called Gateway.

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Starship on the moon for a nasa artemis mission (nasa image)

Starship has only flown 3 flight tests to date. They gained tons of data and accomplished numerous milestones, but have yet to achieve a full successful test profile. They’ll need to accomplish several, and many successful operational missions, before NASA even thinks of putting their astronauts on a Starship to land on the moon.

That alone makes an Artemis-3 moon landing in 2026 unlikely, being only 1.5 years away. SpaceX leader Elon Musk said himself that Starship won’t be ready for several years. Not to mention other complications such as SpaceX needing 2 Starships for on-orbit refueling to support 1 Artemis landing.

elon discusses starship for ARTEMIS

The dry lander will be launched to Earth orbit, followed by a fully-fueled tanker Starship which will dock with and fuel the lander. The lander would then fly to lunar orbit to await Artemis and NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

NASA says Starship won’t significantly impact the ecosystem around KSC. FAA says not so fast

Now, the FAA has thrown a wrench in the timeline. SpaceX is currently building the launch pad, tower, and infrastructure to support over 40 Starship launches and landings annually from Kennedy’s historic launch complex 39A. SpaceX already launches crews and Falcon-9 and Falcon Heavy rockets from 39A.

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Falcon heavy conducts a wet dress reh and static test fire at kennedy lc-39a as residents of the refuge fly past (mike killian photo)

KSC has co-existed beautifully over the decades with the protected national wildlife refuge and seashore it shares. They know how to launch the most powerful vehicles ever made from a vibrant ecosystem, home to 1500 different plants and wildlife. They are responsible for more protected species than any other federal property in the continental United States.

Needless to say, NASA and KSC know how to do spaceflight without harming an ecosystem. NASA led an environmental assessment (EA) for Starship ops in 2019, concluding that Starship wouldn’t cause any significant impact.

FAA orders an environmental impact statement to be done for Starship ops at KSC

SpaceX’s plans, however, have changed since then. So, the FAA now wants a more in-depth environmental impact statement (EIS) conducted.

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A spacex falcon-9 and dragon launching off lc-39a, with the new starship pad and tower being constructed next to it (nasa photo: chris swanson)

“While the 2019 EA prepared by NASA provides an analytical baseline, the environmental impacts of these proposed changes to Starship-Super Heavy LC-39A development and operations will be specifically analyzed in this EIS,” said the FAA.

“SpaceX now proposes to construct additional launch infrastructure not previously contemplated in the 2019 EA. Launch an advanced design of the Starship and Super Heavy vehicle; operate at a projected higher launch tempo; and land the Super Heavy booster at LC-39A in support of the reusability concept,” added the FAA.

It’s a big deal. An EIS on average takes 2 years to complete. Even once done, it won’t give Starship the key to space either. The FAA will still need to issue a vehicle operator’s license.

FAA is being sued for not making SpaceX do a EIA/S for Starbase before allowing Starship flight tests

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The first starship flight test from starbase caused significant impact to the local environment, as well as residents of towns in the region (mike killian photos)

SpaceX conducts Starship flight tests from their “Starbase” in south Texas. The FAA, however, is being sued for allegedly not following their own regulations, requiring (allegedly) that SpaceX do a new EIA/S for testing and launching Starships from Starbase. The place also shares protected ecosystems with the state of Texas.

Seems quite a coincidence. Now the FAA wants to conduct an EIS on Starship, from a property NASA has already said is ok.

FAA invites public input

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Starship’s 2nd launch flight test (mike killian photo)

SpaceX is responsible for preparing the EIS, under FAA supervision. The public is invited to give their 2-cents via 2 in-person public meetings. They’ll take place in Brevard County, FL on June 12-13. A virtual meeting will be held on June 17. Public comments can be submitted until June 24.

Click here to learn more.

The Skydiving DC-9 Hot Rod Flies Again

Dave Hartland
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The Skydiving DC-9 Hot Rod Flies Again

It’s been over a decade since a former SAS Scandinavian Airlines DC-9 took to the skies over southern California for a skydiving mission. 

But this past weekend, N127NK, a 55-year-old DC-9-21 “Hot Rod,” did just that. Multiple loads of jumpers had a chance to experience history aboard the 488th Long Beach-built Douglas DC-9. Skydive Perris, a skydiving facility just 50 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, hosted three “Jump the Jet” events. 

An Event Four Years in the Making

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Skydive Perris DC-9-20 will soon return to the skies. Photo: Skydive Perris

The “Jump the Jet” events have been in the works since 2020. Skydive Perris, a skydiving facility at Perris Valley Airport (L65) in Perris, Calif., made waves in late November 2020 by announcing the jet would soon return to service for the first time since 2013. According to its Facebook page, the facility, located just 50 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, hosted at least three jump runs this past weekend. The events followed a successful test flight on 7 May. 

Event organizers said the events were only open to licensed jumpers, who paid $150 each for the opportunity. Observer seats and tandem jumpers were not permitted.

The Onboard Experience (Spoiler: There’s no Wi-Fi)

On board N127NK, the skydiving DC-9
On board N127NK before the jump | IMAGE: Screenshot captured from Ben Mertz on YouTube

Although this aircraft is a privately owned skydiving jet, it still bears an FAA registration. Thus, once jumpers boarded the aircraft, they were subject to a standard FAA safety briefing by a specially trained Florida-based flight crew. Like passengers aboard a regular commercial flight, all passengers must be seated with seat belts fastened and tray tables and seats in full, upright, and locked positions. 

Once airborne, this workhorse of a machine only takes four minutes to reach a jumping altitude of 13,500′ AGL. At altitude, the tail exit opens, and the jumpers begin their exhilarating dives back to earth. 

One has to imagine that this particular skydiving aircraft isn’t the most efficient choice. Even with a light load, the slowest a DC-9 can fly is roughly 125 knots. This limitation, combined with a narrow single aisle and the small exit, makes it difficult for the process to be as efficient as more suitable skydiving aircraft options – particularly for formation jumpers. Nonetheless, the experience must have been pretty amazing – especially for avgeeks who love this historic workhorse of a bygone era. 

After Decades at SAS, N127NK Became a Workhorse for the Burgeoning US Low-Cost Carrier Industry

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SAS Scandanavian Airlines DC-9-21 (SE-DBO) at Dusseldorf Rhein-Ruhu (DUS) on 28 January 1984 | IMAGE: Planespotters.net

The history of N127NK stretches back over half a century. Initially registered as SE-DBO, she was delivered new to SAS Scandinavian Airlines on 1 May 1969. She would serve with SAS for over two decades, briefly changing hands with Swedish carrier Nordic East Airways from 1991 to 1992. She was one of just ten DC-9-20s ever built (all for SAS).

Her post-SAS career saw her serve with various airlines throughout the 1990s and into the new millennium. Under a new US registry, N127NK, she flew for low-cost US carriers Spirit, ValuJet, and Allegiant Air. 

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N127NK in Allegiant Air colors at Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) | IMAGE: FlightAware

Allegiant parked the jet in 2002 at Victorville (VCV). However, her time at VCV was short, as she was purchased by Skydive Perris in 2003. Finally entering service again on 24 December 2006, her primary use besides skydiving was for film production for studios out of Hollywood. 

She was out of commission from 2013 to 2024 while stored at Perris Valley Airport ahead of this past weekend’s triumphant return to the skies. 

Living Aviation History

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N127NK in storage at Perris Valley Airport in California | IMAGE: Skydive Perris on Facebook

Seeing new life breathed into such a beautiful piece of aviation history is exciting. While officials at Skydive Perris indicate on Facebook that they don’t know when the next jump flights will be, one has to believe that the novelty won’t last long—especially considering the inefficiency of a DC-9 jump aircraft.

However, for those who would jump (pun intended) at the opportunity to be a part of the next “Jump the Jet” event, keep an eye on their Facebook page.

By the way, AvGeekery reached out to D.B. Cooper for comment, but at the time of writing, we have not yet heard back.

The F-84F “Super Hog” Might Have Been Its Own Worst Enemy

Bill Walton
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The F-84F “Super Hog” Might Have Been Its Own Worst Enemy

The Republic F-84F Thunderstreak bridged the gap from Thunderjet to Thunderchief

On 12 May 1954, the Republic F-84F Thunderstreak went into operational service with the United States Air Force (USAF). The F-84F was Republic’s answer to the North American F-86 Sabre. The F-84F was a development of the earlier straight-winged F-84 Thunderjet.

When first designed, it was believed that more than half of the tooling for the swept-wing F model would be the same as that used to build the Thunderjet. In reality it turned out only 15 percent of the tooling could be reused to build Thunderstreaks.

F-84F in flight
F-84F via US Air Force

Not Quite as Spritely as Advertised

The F-84F was equipped with swept wings and tail surfaces- a departure from the previous F-84E. The initial prototypes (designated XF-96A) were powered by a single Allison / General Electric J35-A-25 turbojet engine. Republic test pilot Otto Haas first flew the Thunderstreak on 3 June 1950. Although the F-84F was supposed to perform considerably better than its straight-winged predecessors, in actual practice, the performance gains were considered minor.

F-84F on a rainy ramp
F-84F via US Air Force

Engine Challenges Again

That didn’t stop the USAF from ordering the aircraft, now designated F-84F, into production during July of 1950. The F-84F didn’t exactly go straight into service, though.

Those four years between first flight and service introduction were used to solve several design and performance deficiencies. The Wright J65 turbojet engine replaced the original J35, adding nearly 50% more thrust but availability of the engine was a challenge and the fuselage had to be modified to fit the larger J65.

F-84F in flight
F-84F via US Air Force

In-Service Updates and Upgrades

The first production F-84F flew for the first time on 22 November 1952. The production aircraft had a revised canopy arrangement and relocated airbrakes, but still had bugs that needed to be resolved. The Thunderstreak went through changes intended to improve stability and control. A new one-piece horizontal stabilizer (stabilator) and added spoilers got the F-84F into service. The problems didn’t end there.

A pair of F-84Fs on the ramp
F-84Fs via US Air Force

Still With the Engine Woes

In November 1954, USAF operational testing, dubbed Project Run In, concluded. By then, the F-84F was actually found to be better than the straight-winged E and G models by a considerable margin. Pilots reported that the aircraft was stable and easy to fly.

But the Thunderstreak just couldn’t catch a break. Engine problems were both frequent and serious; serious enough in fact to ground every F-84F during early 1955. The J65 engines were flaming out when the airplanes flew through heavy precipitation.

F-84Fs in midair refueling
F-84Fs refueling via US Air Force

Packing a Republic Punch- But Not Using It

Equipped with six 50-caliber machine guns and capable of delivering up to three tons of bombs or rockets, the F-84F never used any of its combat capabilities while in service with the USAF.

A front-line fighter-bomber that can’t get off the ground won’t last in front-line service for long. Thunderstreaks were removed from active duty squadrons beginning in 1955.

They were replaced primarily by North American F-100 Super Sabres. All remaining F-84Fs were being flown by Air National Guard (ANG) and Air Force Reserve (USAFR or AFRES) squadrons by mid-1958.

A pair of F-84Fs in flight
F-84Fs via US Air Force

Going Nuclear and Melting Down

The squadrons still flying F-84Fs were called up for the Berlin Crisis in 1961- largely because they were equipped with the Low-Altitude Bombing System (LABS) for delivery of a single Mark 7 atomic bomb.

But it was soon found that Thunderstreak control rods were failing due to corrosion. This latest problem grounded the star-crossed jets again in 1962. It took nearly 2,000 man-hours to return a single F-84F to operational service.

Once fixed yet again, the Thunderstreaks soldiered on for nearly another decade, the last of the ANG examples finally being relegated to the boneyard in 1971.

F-84F in flight
F-84F via US Air Force

Whose Idea Was THIS Anyway?

The Fighter Conveyor (FICON) program of the 1950s paired a specially modified F-84F, designated the RF-84K, with the Convair B-36 Peacemaker bomber. The concept envisioned that the fighter, armed with the atomic bomb instead of the B-36, would hitch a ride to the target in the Peacemaker’s bomb bay.

The B-36 would release the smaller aircraft near the target, where it would bomb the target and then get a ride back to friendly territory after re-mating with the B-36. The concept was better than its practical application, but it never got past the experimental stage.

FICON launch
FICON launch via US Air Force

For the Rest of this Thunderous Story bang NEXT PAGE below.

20 Fascinating Warthog Facts That You Probably Didn’t Know

Bill Walton
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20 Fascinating Warthog Facts That You Probably Didn’t Know

I’ll Take Warthog Trivia for $100 Please

We Avgeeks all know how simply awesome the A-10 Warthog is. Here are some things you might not know about the Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II.

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Official US Air Force photograph

One

The Development of the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne attack helicopter actually helped to expose the need for a dedicated ground attack aircraft for the Air Force. That first and still only dedicated designed and built for purpose ground attack aircraft became the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II.

Two

The design of the A-10 was developed during the time that the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly was replacing Douglas A-1 Skyraiders as the Air Force’s primary CSAR support and counter insurgency (COIN) platform. The Warthog, while obviously a much more capable close air support (CAS) aircraft than the Super Tweet, owes at least some of its design influences to the tiny but capable A-37.

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Official US Air Force photograph

Three

Republic Aircraft of Farmingdale, Long Island, New York, built the two YA-10 prototypes at their factory. The first flight of the YA-10 took place on 10 May 1972 at Republic’s airfield on Long Island. However, production of every one of the 715 A-10s built took place at Fairchild’s factory in outside Baltimore in Hagerstown in Maryland.

Four

The A-10’s General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger 30 millimeter rotary cannon is mounted in the fuselage of the Hog in such a way that the barrel firing is aligned with the centerline of the aircraft. This ensures that when the weapon is fired it does not cause the aircraft to yaw. This is also why the nose gear of the aircraft is offset to the starboard (right) side.

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Official US Air Force photograph

Five

When the GAU-8/A is removed from the Warthog for maintenance or replacement, the tail of the aircraft must be supported or it will come to rest on the ground when the jet’s nose tilts up.

Six

The PGU-14/B shells fired by the GAU-8 are only slightly radioactive, no more than most other stones or dirt, but the sub-caliber high-density penetrator inside is extremely dense- adding to the kinetic energy expended when one of the projectiles hits, and usually shreds, its target.

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Official US Air Force photograph

Seven

The General Electric TF-34-GE-100 high-bypass turbofan engines that power the A-10 have only been used on one other operational military aircraft- the Lockheed S-3 Viking carrier-based sub-hunter.

Eight

Those engines are mounted where they are on the airframe for two very good reasons- to protect them from debris raised from the ground during taxi, takeoff, and landing, and to place them above the horizontal tail surfaces, thereby better shielding them from infrared (IR) seeking weapons fired from the ground.

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Official US Air Force photograph

Nine

Although the A-10 is a close air support (CAS) star, it is not as fast as you might think. With a loaded never exceed speed (VNE) of 450 knots (518 miles per hour) at altitude the Warthog is not going to produce any sonic booms. A cleanly-configured A-10 can reach 381 knots (439 miles per hour) at sea level. Several World War II-era warbirds are just about capable of keeping up.

Ten

The roughly 220 A-10Cs still operational today (as of 2024) were originally A-10As built by Fairchild-Republic, maintained by Grumman after 1987, upgraded by Lockheed-Martin, and many of the A-10Cs in service have been re-winged by Boeing.

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Official US Air Force photograph

For the Rest of the List Bang NEXT PAGE Below!

Remembering Dick Rutan, Aviation Legend and Decorated Veteran

Mike Killian
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Remembering Dick Rutan, Aviation Legend and Decorated Veteran

This weekend, the aviation world mourns the loss of a pioneer in the industry. Remembering USAF Lt Col (ret) Dick Rutan, an aviation legend and decorated combat veteran.

Rutan passed away on May 3, while battling a severe lung infection. Close friend Bill Whittle said Rutan died on “his own terms when he decided against enduring a second night on oxygen.” Rutan passed away surrounded by friends and family in Idaho.

It all started at an air show

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Dick rutan (photo via rutan family)

Like many youngsters, the seed for a life of aviation was planted young when Rutan’s mother brought him to an air show. What really caught his attention was an F-100 Super Sabre, and the pilots who flew it.

“I looked up at the pilot, as a little kid and I thought, man, I would really like to be that, but there would be no fine way I could ever do that,” recalled Rutan during a speech in 2010. “Fighter pilots, they’re a different species.”

He always credited his mother for supporting his dreams and goals. “She admonished me when I said that there wasn’t any way I could become a fighter pilot,” he recalled. “She taught us that if you can dream it, you can do it, and the only way to fail is if you quit.”

Rutan always wanted to be a fighter pilot, so that’s what he did

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Richard Glenn Rutan was plane-crazy from that moment on. He earned his private on his 16th birthday, and his driver license (yes he got them the same day). His dream plane to fly, was the F-100 Super Sabre.

So, he joined the USAF Aviation Cadet Program. Rutan became a second lieutenant, earned his navigator wings, and was deployed to Iceland to fly Northrop’s F-89 Scorpion. He then flew the Douglas C-124 Globemaster.

After accumulating 1,900 flight hours as a navigator, he entered pilot training and graduated at the top of his class in 1967.

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Lt col (ret) dick rutan with one of the super sabres he flew in vietnam (photo credit national museum of the usaf)

He got his dream jet too, the F-100. However, it would also mean he was being sent to combat in South Vietnam. He started flying ground attack missions, but soon became a forward air controller (FAC) in the Commando Sabre program, more commonly known as the the secretive MISTY program.

Rutan survived being shot down and was highly decorated

Rutan was responsible for loitering over enemy positions ahead of strike packages as “Misty Four-Zero”, marking targets for the strike aircraft to attack.

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Photo via Dick Rutan family
Great interview with Dick Rutan

He was shot down on such a mission too, his 325th flight during his third tour. It wouldn’t be his only emergency ejection either. He later had to punch out of another Super Sabre in England when it suffered an engine malfunction.

He received many awards in his time serving, including the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. Rutan was also awarded 16 Air Medals and five Distinguished Flying Crosses.

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Rutan’s jet over vietnam in 1968 (top). Painted as it appeared in March 1968 (below), the jet was flown by Rutan & is on display at the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, OH (usaf photos)

One of the Super Sabres he flew is now on display at the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, OH.

Rutan retired and became a test pilot

After retiring from the USAF in 1978, Rutan became a Production Manager and Chief Test Pilot for his brother Burt’s company, Rutan Aircraft Factory.

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Photo via rutan family

Dick flew the test flight development programs for several military and civilian experimental aircraft. He also flew air show demos.

However, Rutan still had an itch that needed scratching.

Dick Rutan joined Jeana Yeager to set the last great aviation record to date

He met Jeana Yeager in 1980, and together began pursuing a goal to fly nonstop, around-the-world, without refueling. He resigned from his brother’s company in 1981, and founded Voyager Aircraft, Inc.

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Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan are all smiles after completing a test flight over Mojave in December 1985 (photo via rutan family)

Together they flew the Voyager over 26,000 miles, taking off and returning to Edwards AFB. The plane was designed by his famous brother, Burt.

Dreams however take money, and aviation dreams take a LOT of money. To fund their idea, and bring publicity, Rutan decided to set several aircraft speed and endurance records before his big round the world flight. In 1981 he set a distance record of 4,563 statute miles for an aircraft weighing less than 1,000 kilograms. Soon after, he set a closed-course speed record for both 500 and 2,000 kilometers.

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rutan and yeager leaving california on voyager, followed by a chase plane (photo via rutan family)

Rutan was a hot air balloon pilot, too

It would seem that, if it could fly, Rutan wanted to fly it. He earned his balloon pilot’s license in 1995 (Commercial free air balloon; helium and hot air). Of course, he had a record setting vision for hot-air balloons, too.

He attempted the first ever flight around the world flight in a balloon in 1998. He didn’t get very far. The mission ended three hours after takeoff when his balloon’s helium cell ruptured at 30,000 feet. Rutan and his crew bailed out safely at 6,000 ft, before the balloon crashed to the ground and burst into flames.

He vowed to try again, and built a new balloon and capsule for it. Another team, however, beat him to the record in 1998.

Dick Rutan was rescued from the North Pole after his plane fell through ice

No stranger to adventure, Dick Rutan decided to sightsee the North Pole on an airplane trek in 2000. The season however was unusually warm.

Flying a Russian AN-2 Antonov, they landed on what appeared to be good ice. However, it was too thin, and before they could takeoff to find a different location, the plane had already started sinking into the frozen abyss.

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Photos via rutan family

The plane was sinking nose first into the water, but its wings held it above the surface long enough for the crew to escape with their survival equipment. Rutan and co were stranded at the top of the world for 12 hours, before being rescued.

More awards and records

While his flight around the world is what Dick Rutan will be most remembered for, his list of accomplishments would continue.

He was awarded a Presidential Citizens Medal, the Collier Trophy, the Order of Daedalians Distinguished Achievement Award, and was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2002.

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Dick Rutan conducted the “shortest long-distance flight” ever in 2005, when he broke a world record for the longest distance in a ground-launched rocket-powered aircraft (called the EZ rocket). He flew it about 10 miles.

Rutan was honored with the Howard Hughes Memorial Award in 2021.

“He played an airplane like someone plays a grand piano.” – Burt Rutan

Super Constellation Spits Fire On Takeoff

Wendell Barnhouse
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Super Constellation Spits Fire On Takeoff

You’ll get fired up watching this Super Constellation’s exhaust flames as it takes off at twilight.

Flames on an airplane are usually the signal of impending doom. The combustion must remain internal and contained within the engines. But Lockheed’s Super Constellation, the L-1049, was a four-engine aircraft that became a major component in commercial aviation fleets in the 1950s.

Before jet-powered aircraft like the Boeing 707 took over, the Super Constellation was a go-to aircraft. In particular, it became a signature plane for Trans World Airlines.

The “Super Connie” is considered one of the most elegant aircraft ever built. From its sloping dolphin-like nose to its distinctive triple tail, the plane looked sleek and unique.

The accompanying video was taken at the perfect time. The dusk takeoff of this Super Connie shows the four flames being emitted from the four engines.

Why Does The Connie Spit So Much Fire?

Fire spits out of the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation during departure
Fire spits out of the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation during departure | IMAGE: YMML Spotting Team via YouTube

Based on this video, you could nickname the Connie, the Spitfire! (We’re kidding, of course)

The L-1049 went through numerous changes and adjustments, but for the most part, the aircraft’s four 18-cylinder radial engines remained the same – versions of the Wright R series.

Most of the Super Connies were powered by R-3350-972-TC18DA-1 turbo-compound engines, which featured Recovery Turbines that allowed each engine’s exhaust gas to flow through three turbines. That boosted horsepower by 550. The drawback was the visible flame from the exhaust pipes.

To prevent the flames from causing catastrophes, two-inch armor plating was placed under the stack. Problem solved. But the flames remained, and that added to the spectacle of seeing a Super Constellation in flight.

5.3.16

New Xfinity Ad Reuniting Old Pilots Will Bring a Tear to Your Eye

Mike Killian
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New Xfinity Ad Reuniting Old Pilots Will Bring a Tear to Your Eye

Xfinity Ad Shows Pilots Reminiscing On Their Flying Career

A new short film from Xfinity has been released to honor Military Appreciation Month. We have to admit, it’s a good one. This new Xfinity ad reuniting old fighter pilots will bring a tear to your eye.

The veterans served in Vietnam on the USS Saratoga. It was the first time commander Jack RAZOR Gillett, former lieutenant Jim ZEKE Lloyd, and former lieutenant Bill OFFENDER Moir had been face-to-face in 16 years.

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New Xfinity Ad Reuniting Old Pilots Will Bring a Tear to Your Eye 65

They were joined by Elester HOLLYWOOD Latham, who was as a Marine sergeant during the Tet Offensive and became a USAF major.

Zeke was shot down in enemy territory. Razor and Offender Came to Save Him

Zeke was actually shot down on a mission, surviving his way down into enemy territory. He was able to evade the enemy for 6 hours, before fellow pilots Razor and Offender showed up to help rescue him.

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Uss saratoga (navy photo)

He was offered the chance to go home. Instead, he stayed where he felt he belonged.

“When I got back to the safety of the fleet, I learned what the Navy did for me,” Zeke said. “So many risked their futures to help secure mine. When I learned that, I couldn’t go home. So, I continued flying until the war ended. The Navy tried to give me easier flights, but we were a northern carrier flying deep in the north, so that didn’t work all the time.”

A granddaughter helps her veteran grandfather and friends to fly again

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New Xfinity Ad Reuniting Old Pilots Will Bring a Tear to Your Eye 66

In the film above, a grandfather shares old tales with his granddaughter about flying the A-4 Skyhawk, as they get ready to reunite with his old friends. He shows her his flight gear and photos and belongings from his days flying. Scenes flash back and forth between his past and present, as he takes her on a trip down memory lane.

Here’s a story we did about how cool the A-4 was.

Anyway, in the film the grandfather wishes he could take his granddaughter flying with him. Inspired by his life, and wanting to fly with him, she decides to surprise them all with VR headsets to help them fly again. Using Xfinity internet.

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“The aviators” (xfinity)

“Besides our veterans’ reunion, there’s another connection story happening here. This experience brings them closer together,” said Jim Elliott, executive creative director at GS&P. Elliot was inspired to create the film when he witnessed his sons showing his USAF veteran 90-year old father-in-law how to fly again with a VR headset.

“The truth is, these sorts of miraculous, intergenerational moments of connection are happening every day across the country, thanks to Xfinity,” he added.

An Oscar-winning Director, Cinematographer and Production Crew

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“The aviators” (xfinity)

The film was made by a crew of Oscar-winners. It’s directed by Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker,” “Zero Dark Thirty”), who brought on two-time Oscar-winning cinematographer DP Greig Fraser.

Three-time Oscar-winning sound designer Paul N.J. Ottosson (“The Hurt Locker,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Fury”) also joined, along with the legendary Hanz Zimmer, a two-time Oscar-winning composer.

“It’s a real honor to work with our nation’s veterans,” Bigelow said in a behind-the-scenes documentary (watch above). “They’re special people, who’ve devoted their lives to our security. I feel like it’s my opportunity to give back.”

Xfinity Ad Highlights Pilots, It is also a leading employer of veterans in the country

Xfinity is a leading employer of veterans in the country. Parent company Comcast NBCUniversal was the nation’s No. 1 telecommunications company for veterans in 2022. They claim to have hired 21,000 veterans and National Guard and reserve service members, as well as military spouses, since 2015, gathering more than 9,000 employees in its Veterans Network employee resource group.

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VSF-1 A-4C. US Navy photograph

Comcast is launching a new military benefits program for discounts. They are also donating $1 million to nonprofits serving the military community and working toward digital equity for this group.

“We’re a proud military-ready company that honors and celebrates what those who serve, those who’ve served, and their loved ones have done to defend the freedoms we enjoy,” said Mona Dexter, VP of military and veteran affairs at Comcast, a military spouse for over 25 years and a military mother. “Reunions like the kind depicted in the film represent the life-long devotion veterans have toward one another. It’s our company’s privilege to play a part in how these incredible men and women stay connected through technology.”

Tiger Tales: Five Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About The F-5

Bill Walton
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Tiger Tales: Five Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About The F-5

Following up on the story of the F-5, here are five things you might not know about the F-5 series:

The Iranians Morphed it into a homebrew fighter

1.) The Iranians took an F-5, added twin vertical stabilizers to it, and created a ‘new” fighter they call the HESA Saeqeh (Thunderbolt ). Iran claims the Saeqeh performs like an F/A-18 Hornet.

But even plain old avgeeks like me know that shoehorning some kludgy glass displays into the cockpit and bolting a second fin on to a standard F-5 do not add up to a home-grown Hornet. The Iranians say the Saeqeh maneuvers better than a standard F-5. That’s a long way from performing like a Hornet.

The F-5 Had Multiple Strut Options

2.) In order to get the F-5 off the ground using just a little bit less runway, the nose gear in F-5Es and F-5Fs is equipped with a selectable two-position strut. When in the extended position, the aircraft’s static angle of attack is increased by 3.3 degrees, providing additional lift at takeoff speeds.

F-5 Fact: It inspired the Northrup YF-17 and the F/A-18

3.) Many sources credit the F-5E design as the basis for / starting point for / predecessor of the Northrop YF-17 Cobra, which lost the Lightweight Fighter competition to the YF-16 during the mid-1970s.

The YF-17 came back in a big way, though. Today, you can recognize the family resemblance in the McDonnell-Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet. The American version…not the Iranian.

Fact: The F-5 Had a Cool Nickname

4.) Northrop’s original codename for the design that became the F-5 was “Tally Ho”.Four F-5 aircraft in formation flight

The Soviet Union Had Access to the F-5 Too

5.) The Soviet Union acquired captured F-5Cs from Vietnam and F-5Es from Ethiopia. They thoroughly evaluated and tested the F-5s over a period of several years. The Soviets threw the F-5s at MiG-21s and MiG-23s to see how aerial combat might conclude between the dissimilar aircraft.

Supposedly, the data generated during these flights contributed to the designs of the second-generation and much-improved MiG-23MLD Flogger K and ultimately the MiG-29 Fulcrum.

Ironically, the Soviet evaluation of the F-5s roughly parallels the similar American dissimilar aircraft training efforts outlined in our previous story about the development of the MiG-21.

4.30.17

An F-16 From Holloman AFB Has Crashed in New Mexico

Mike Killian
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An F-16 From Holloman AFB Has Crashed in New Mexico

An F-16 Fighting Falcon from Holloman AFB has crashed in New Mexico this afternoon.

The incident occurred near White Sands National Park just before noon local time, according to a statement from the 49th Wing.

The pilot survived, but the cause of the crash is unknown

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F-16s and MQ-9 Reapers from the 49th Wing line up on the runway during an elephant walk at Holloman Air Force Base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Victor J. Caputo)

The pilot was able to eject and survived. They were then transported by ambulance for medical care. It’s unknown whether or not the pilot was injured.

Certain area of White Sands National Park are currently closed, to allow emergency crews to do their jobs and protect the public from potential exposure to hazardous chemicals.

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White sands national park, new mexico (national park service photo)

“An investigation conducted by a board of qualified officers is underway to determine the cause of the incident,” said the 49th Wing. “Additional details will be released as they become available.”

The 49th Wing is the Air Force’s largest F-16 and MQ-9 formal training unit

The 49th Wing is responsible for training and providing combat-ready F-16 and MQ-9 Reaper pilots and sensor operators. They also deliver Air Transportable Clinics and Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources, supporting more than 21,000 military and civilian personnel.

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Two U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Crul)

They can deploy worldwide whenever called upon, to support peacetime and wartime contingencies.

Holloman is also home to the world’s longest and fastest (approaching 10,000 feet per second, or Mach 9) test track. The 846th Test Squadron set the world land speed record there for a railed vehicle at 6,453 mph (Mach 8.5).

Today’s incident was the first F-16 crash in the United States since March of 2022, when an Oklahoma Air National Guard F-16 crashed in Louisiana. That pilot also ejected and survived.

Tower Air: A Jumbo Mess Of An Airline

Avgeekery
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Tower Air: A Jumbo Mess Of An Airline

Tower Air Provided Poor Service Long Before It Became The Norm In The Airline Industry

Tower Air – If you haven’t heard of that airline before, then consider yourself lucky. Though it may not be the worst airline to ever exist, it is definitely in contention. They’re widely considered to be more of an infamous airline than a true success.

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Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

For Tower Air There Could Be Only One

Tower Air proved to be an enigma in the aviation industry. They employed only one type of aircraft: the Queen of the Skies herself, the Boeing 747.

That might sound pretty cool at first, but once it comes to light that they operated some of the rattiest and most beat up 747s, had horrific maintenance practices, and were better known for making customers mad than successfully leaving on time, you realize that this might not have been the best idea. 

Foreshadowing

Since the COVID-19 Pandemic has been relaxing regulations (woohoo, no masks!), there has been a massive increase in flying. The downside was the lack of personnel and equipment.

This led to operational meltdowns and crew, along with all the guests, stranded for days in airports. Similar meltdowns were relatively regular for Tower Air.

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image via aero icarus

Tower Air Benefitted From Timing

The only thing Tower Air had going for them was the lack of social media and cameras on cell phones to capture the pandemonium. Instead, their disastrous operation was documented on forums, review boards, and by the news channels and newspapers. 

Tower Air was essentially a replacement airline for Flying Tigers. Once Flying Tiger Line ceased commercial passenger charters, the president of the passenger portion of the airline Morris Nachtomi met with the Tower Travel Corporation (a travel company that dealt primarily with trips to Israel, the home country of Nachtomi) owner Zev Melamid and got him to buy into the idea of creating an airline to serve the travel company’s primary destination.

The pair then brought on Mordechai Gil and Sam Fondlier to round out the shareholders.

Nachtomi was the lead of the group and was named the CEO since he had 30 years of experience working with El Al and wanted to serve his home country. They officially opened service in November of 1983.

Tower Air Boeing 747 100 N603FF@CDG04.08.1996 4734056909 AI 1
image via aero icarus

Operating a ‘Terminal’ from a Hangar at JFK

Tower Air was based out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in Jamaica, New York. The airline even had its own terminal at the peak of its operation, which was a former Pan Am admin maintenance facility. The operations began working out of Hangar 17 at JFK Airport as their headquarters. 

Not Much of a Route Tree

The primary market served was to compete with El Al and British Airways by focusing on the U.S./Israel market. Their main route was New York – Brussels – Tel Aviv. Tower Air then added some charter flights from New York to Frankfurt, Zurich, Rome, and Athens.

They were able to add a New York to Los Angeles route after acquiring a Boeing 747-100 from Avianca. 

There’s More to the Story. Bang NEXT PAGE Below for Tower Air’s Demise

Check Out This Epic Giant Hand-Made RC Concorde!

Mike Killian
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Check Out This Epic Giant Hand-Made RC Concorde!

Admit it. We all miss seeing Concorde fly. That’s why you have to check out this giant hand-made RC Concorde!

Instagram user @Horizon_Hobby posted a video of the 33-foot long remote controlled plane, flown by Otto Widlroither. Check it out below.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5L_dJsR1pr/?igsh=MXJnbHk0ajU5dGx3bQ==

This giant RC Concorde is the largest RC plane in the world

The replica is a 1:6 scale model of the real iconic Concorde, with a 6 ft tall tail and wingspan of 13 ft. It’s powered by four JetCat 300 Pro engines. Fully fueled, the plane weighs nearly 330 pounds.

It has pneumatic gears, a fuel tank capacity of 4 x 6 liters, and an air tank capacity of 30 liters. It was designed and built by Steven and Matthew Bishop.

Above, watch a longer video of the incredible RC Concorde in action! Brings a tear to me eye.

The attention to detail and engineering behind the RC plane is really amazing. You can see it in action at various events around Europe.

See a real Concorde on display

While we will never see a Concorde fly again, you can visit some in museums.

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Mike killian / avgeekery.com

My personal favorite is the one in Duxford, England, at the Imperial War Museum. Designated Concorde G-AXDN, it was a pre-production model used for the testing and refinement of Concorde. It flew faster than any other Concorde! Its nose still works too! They actually do a nose-lowering demo on the last Sunday of every month.

You’re free to walk below, around, even above the aircraft. Visitors are welcome to go onboard as well. Here’s a video I shot visiting her.

The first Concorde to ever fly is on display at the Museum of Air and Space in Le Bourget, France. Another is on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, UK. More below:

  • Musée Delta at Orly Airport, Paris, France
  • Airbus has one in Toulouse, France
  • Weybridge’s Brooklands Museum in the English county of Surrey
  • Manchester Airport
  • Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Concordes landing at the same time.
simultaneous landing of Air France & British Airways Concordes in Orlando, Florida. Photo: Orlando International Airport (MCO)
  • Museum of Flight in East Lothian, Scotland
  • Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum in Speyer, Germany.
  • London Heathrow Airport
  • Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York
  • Grantley Adams International Airport, Barbados
  • Museum of Flight, Seattle
  • Charles de Gaulle Airport
  • Aerospace Bristol museum in South West England

Buttigieg Announces New Rules Against Airlines for Consumers

Mike Killian
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Buttigieg Announces New Rules Against Airlines for Consumers

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has announced new rules against airlines to protect consumers who constantly feel ripped off by cancellations, delays & fees.

“The rules are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to lower costs for consumers and take on corporate rip-offs,” says the DOT. The new rules follow an Executive Order on Promoting Competition in 2021 that encouraged DOT to take steps to “promote fairer, more transparent, and competitive markets.”

watch Buttigieg outline the new rules

First new rule requires airlines to issue automatic refunds

“This is a big day for America’s flying public,” said Buttigieg. “It represents the latest step – two steps – to deliver the biggest expansion of passenger rights in the Department’s history. Too often, the things we have heard aren’t just irritating inconveniences. They are significant harms, and violations of passengers’ rights. We are here to do something about that.”

The first new rule forces airline who cancel or significantly delay your flight to automatically refund you within 7 days to the credit card used for booking. Additionally, it must be in cash by default unless a passenger actively chooses another form of compensation.

Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport once again is the busiest airport in the world in 2023 | IMAGE: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Facebook

“No more defaulting to vouchers or credits when consumers may not even realize they are entitled to cash,” said Buttigieg.

Protecting passengers from surprise fees

The second new rule is expected to save Americans over half-billion dollars annually. Airlines will have to be up front about additional costs. No longer can they surprise consumers with fees for things like checked bags, carry-on bags, change fees and cancellation fees.

“Healthy competition requires that as a consumer you can comparison shop, which means knowing the real price of a trip before and not after you buy,” said Buttigieg. “If something does go wrong and your flight is canceled, the DOT has your back.”

DOT has also launched flightrights.gov, to give passengers easy-to-interpret visuals that lay out what each airline has committed to providing, if they cause a cancellation or delay.

Stepped-up enforcement

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Photo credit southwest airlines

Under Biden’s DOT, stiff fines and tough penalties have been dealt to airlines who don’t play nice. Southwest Airlines was hit with a $140 million enforcement action for their 2022 holiday meltdown. That’s nearly double the total amount of penalties in the two decades prior.

Thus far, Biden’s DOT has seen airlines issue over $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements. DOT has also secured partnerships with 18 state attorney generals to help investigate aviation consumer complaints and get passengers results.

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photo: mike killian / avgeekery.com

“The level of toughness reflected in the Southwest enforcement is not an exception,” noted Buttigieg. “It’s a new standard for our Department’s enforcement.”

“We want the airline sector to thrive. It’s why we put so much into helping them survive the pandemic, and why we’re being so rigorous on passenger protection,” he added. “This will build confidence in air travel, when airlines need to do more to secure passengers’ trust. This approach of collaborating where appropriate, pushing hard where called for, is working.”

More rules coming

A United Airlines Boeing 787 flies over water
A United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner | IMAGE: United

Buttigieg and Biden’s DOT are not done yet. More rules are in works. The first would expand rights to protect the safety and dignity of passengers who use wheelchairs.

Another rule in works aims to ban airlines from charging junk fees to sit together as a family. 

The Inside Story How BAe 146 Started the Regional Jet Revolution

Brian Wiklem
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The Inside Story How BAe 146 Started the Regional Jet Revolution

The Fascinating Story of How the Last British Airliner Clawed Its Way to Success

Avgeekery contributor Brian Wiklem has released a riveting new book that tells the entire story about the BAe 146. The book tells the story behind the people who designed, built, and flew the original regional jet. It is available from LaJetee Press at https://www.lajeteepress.com.

These days, four-engine jetliners are a rarity at local airports.  Sure, the Queen of the Skies, the Boeing 747, is still flying and relevant today, along with the Airbus A380 and even the Airbus A340.  Those days are quickly coming to an end.  But it’s no surprise flying two engines is less expensive than four, with engine and aerodynamic technology continuing to push the limits while requiring less fuel and less maintenance.  So why on earth would an aircraft manufacturer begin designing and pitching a four-engine short-haul airliner?  It’s complicated.

British Aerospace facility manufacturing a BAe 146
The Inside Story How BAe 146 Started the Regional Jet Revolution 83

Developing a Viable Four-Engine Short-Haul Airliner

Hawker Siddeley, competing against not only Fokker, Boeing, and McDonnell Douglas but also homegrown manufacturer British Aircraft Corporation, was looking to develop the next generation of short-haul aircraft.  For nearly twenty years, many different ideas and iterations of short-haul aircraft bounced around internally, ultimately settling on what would become the HS146, now known as the British Aerospace (BAe) 146 series of aircraft.  Hawker Siddeley was working on an aircraft that would appeal to state-owned carriers operating in less than ideal conditions, such as unpaved fields and more rural areas.  But rather than a prop aircraft, it was working on a short-haul jetliner. 

BAe 146
Image via BAe Systems

The Advantages of Four Burning

This aircraft could operate entirely independently of ground service vehicles.  Baggage compartments were waist high for ground crew, and the aircraft could be equipped with airstairs, eliminating the need for additional vehicles and complexity, and operating from remote fields fully contained.  And, with four jet engines, a loss of an engine wouldn’t mean an immediate return trip to the airport, nor the concern that a two-engine aircraft (with a loss of engine) would have only 50% power remaining.  With four engines, a loss would be mitigated to only 25%. 

There was only one problem:  these state-owned carriers often didn’t have the financial ability to support buying not only a jet aircraft but a brand-new one.  A second problem would burst onto the scene and shut down any airline’s ability to consider a four-engine jet: The oil crisis of 1973.

Oil Crisis Creates a Need For More Efficient Jets

By 1974, the crisis was in full swing because of the support Israel was getting from the United States due to the Yom Kippur War.  A barrel of oil tripled in cost by the end of the year, and there was no sign of it slowing down.  This was the worst possible time to launch a four-engine jetliner. 

Between homegrown political battles to keep the project alive and the manufacturers’ insistence that it be terminated, ultimately, Hawker Siddeley won, and the HS146 was terminated. But in the long run, this came back and bit Britain’s aviation industry hard, with the government fed up with bailing out various aerospace manufacturers, including Rolls-Royce with the RB211 and the Concorde debacle. 

Turmoil in the British Aviation Industry

Queen Elizabeth's BAe 146
The Queen’s BAE 146.

By 1977, the British government nationalized the aerospace industry under the 1977 Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act in an attempt to save Britain from losing these industries.  Enter the newly formed British Aerospace, where the government would fund and ultimately divest itself of its shares, concluding by 1985 its complete divestiture of British Aerospace, which would become a publicly owned and traded entity.

1977 saw the new board of directors argue about restarting the HS146 or continuing with the BAC Two-Eleven.  Political considerations at play ensured the HS146 would continue on, and the BAC Two-Eleven would never make it off the drawing board. With the company moving forward with full-scale development and manufacturing, the world would change again, starting in the United States.  Enter deregulation, where airlines were now free to fly and charge whatever they wanted. 

The Industry Transforms Itself

Over the next ten years, the aviation industry worldwide would begin to shift away from state-owned carriers and move towards a free market, with airlines having to live and die by their own choices, pricing, and quality of service.  The very market the HS146 was predicated on was disappearing quickly.  Once the BAe 146 took its first flight, it began a tour to the two primary markets originally envisioned and viewed as its golden goose: The Far East (Japan, India, Thailand, Australia, Indonesia, and more), as well as a tour in Africa to numerous countries.  These were the countries that BAe and originally Hawker Siddeley saw as customers, with state-owned carriers, rural operating conditions, and the need for a self-contained aircraft that desired jet service. 

It was not to be. Not a single order came from the Far East (and it would be nearly eight years before an Australian and a Thailand-based carrier ordered the 146), and only one order came from Africa for a single aircraft. This was far from a sales success.

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[Honey] Badger Don’t Care: The Soviet Union’s Jack-of-All-Trades Jet Bomber

Bill Walton
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[Honey] Badger Don’t Care: The Soviet Union’s Jack-of-All-Trades Jet Bomber

There Wasn’t Much the Soviets Couldn’t Hang From This Versatile Bomber.

On 27 April 1952, Soviet test pilot N.S. Rybko flew the prototype that would eventually become the Tupelov Tu-16 Badger for the first time. The Tupelov Design Bureau had been drawing bombers since the 1920s. Old Andrei Tupelov (1888-1972) got his start working from designs penned by noted German designer Hugo Junkers. In fact, Tupelov’s first facility started life as a secret Junkers facility outside Moscow in 1925. Tupelov’s early designs were said to be influenced by Junkers, but it didn’t take long for Tupelov to begin work on some of the Soviet Union’s finest bomber aircraft.

Tupelov Tu-16 Badger

Building a Better Bomber

By June of 1950 the Soviet Union needed a bigger and more advanced jet bomber beyond the Ilyushin Il-28 Beagle. Tupelov’s design, the basis for the Tu-16, was initially designated Tu-88. The aircraft had swept wings and tail surfaces, was powered by two turbojet engines mounted in the wing roots, and boasted high-subsonic speed with 5,000-mile range and 11,000 pounds of payload. Defensive armament included 23 millimeter cannon twin-mounted in ventral, dorsal, and tail turrets. During State trials Tupelov received approval for full production of the bomber, now designated Tu-16.badger3

Based on the B-29?

Although the initial Tu-16 prototype was an impressive aircraft, it was the second prototype that more closely met the design parameters. When first flown on 6 April 1953, again by the noted Soviet test pilot Rybko, the airframe was lighter, the nose was longer, fuel capacity had been increased, and defensive armament had been installed. Trials commenced and were completed a year later, with service acceptance another month after that. Tupelov’s design bureau had produced the Tu-4 Bull, a reverse-engineered version of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Observers believed the long, thin fuselage of the Tu-16 might have had its origins in the Superfort.

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Seeing the Light of Soviet Days

On 29 October 1953, the first production Tu-16 was rolled out at Tupelov’s Kazan factory. Nine Tu-16s flew over the May Day parade in Moscow on 1 May 1954. 40 Badgers flew over the Tsushino Air Show in August of the same year. Once NATO became aware of the new Soviet bomber, it was assigned the NATO reporting name “Badger.” Thus began 40 years of service by the Tu-16 series to the Soviet Union, and later to its individual former states after the end of the Cold War. Including the Tu-104 civilian airliner version, the Tupelov design was adapted into some 30 separate variants.

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Jacks-of-All-Trades

A total of 1,507 Badgers were built at three Tupelov factories between 1953 and 1963. Tu-16s became missile carriers, torpedo bombers, inflight refueling tankers, electronic countermeasures (ECM) aircraft, antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft, reconnaissance and maritime surveillance aircraft, and search and rescue (SAR) aircraft. And of course bombers as well. Many of the Badgers built were reworked to perform other or additional roles as their service lives went on. Several Tu-16s were used as experimental testing aircraft and for systems and weapons trials. By the early 1960s the advent of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) forced many of the Soviet Badgers into early retirement or career changes.

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Equipped as Tasked

The bomber version of the Badger carried a six man crew: The pilot, co-pilot, radar navigator/bombardier, and navigator/gunner flew in the forward fuselage.

The radio operator/gunner and tail gunner flew in the rear fuselage and tail. Badger bombers were used extensively during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. But Soviet bombers had to have range. They developed a way to extend range using inflight refueling, but the implementation was quirky. The tanker aircraft would trail a fuel hose off its starboard side wingtip. The thirsty Badger would try to link up with a receiver in its port wingtip.

The Soviets attempted the American hose-and-drogue method but were unable to make it work at first. They eventually got their own system ironed out, and every Badger was equipped to receive fuel while airborne using the wingtip method. Later, Badger tankers mounted a probe-and-drogue “basket” for refueling probe-equipped Soviet aircraft.

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Not Your Father’s Orion

The Soviet navy developed the anachronistic Tu-16T torpedo bomber version of the Badger. Obsolete even before its introduction, most of them were reworked into the first versions of the Badger anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. Equipped with primitive sonobuoy data processing systems and aerial depth charges, these aircraft eventually carried anti-submarine torpedoes. The Badger made an excellent ASW platform, but the Soviets committed more Tu-95 Bear airframes to ASW than they did Badgers.

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Missileers

Many Badgers were used as missile carriers. The early Soviet missiles were large and heavy, requiring a bomber the size of the Badger to get them close enough to their targets (often American aircraft carriers) for them to be effective. The Badger could carry two of the AS-1 Kennel missile, which was a truly huge weapon. Badgers were modified to add radar in the nose and radio antennae to the vertical stabilizer. Use of the Kennel also required another crew member, who rode in a dedicated bomb bay mission pod.

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Navy is Exploring Using Ship-Based eSTOL Aircraft

Mike Killian
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Navy is Exploring Using Ship-Based eSTOL Aircraft

The U.S. Navy has awarded Electra a contract to begin exploring using ship-based eSTOL logistics aircraft in contested environments, to transport supplies and people.

Electra is developing a hybrid-electric, ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft to get in and out of small spaces quietly and safely, while flying fast enough to cover long distances. It combines the operational flexibility of a helicopter with the safety and economics of a fixed wing aircraft. Hybrid-electric power provides long ranges without the need for ground-based charging stations.

Filling a unique next-generation capability gap

Electra eSTOL aircraft demonstrator
Electra estol tech demonstrator (credit electra)

The Navy knows they need to address next-generation aviation logistics challenges. The Pentagon also wants options for U.S. forces that can respond to new threats and challenges, while reducing carbon output from flight operations.

Electra’s eSTOL aircraft may be the solution to filling unique Navy capability gaps. Electra will work with Navy stakeholders to define specific contested logistics use cases and conduct a conceptual design study to evaluate how its plane can address those gaps.

“With our differentiated combination of hybrid-electric propulsion and a blown fixed wing, we can offer Pacific theater-relevant payloads and ranges, and the ability to operate from rough soccer field-sized spaces as well as many naval vessels and adjacent assets, all from day one,” says Ben Marchionna, Electra’s Director of Technology and Innovation.

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Credit electra

“Beyond boilerplate tactical logistics use cases, we also see this as an enabler for expeditionary power generation, mesh networking, and an essential node for Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) employment,” added Marchionna. “These are all game-changers for force modernization initiatives within the Navy and Marine Corps.”

A plane that can takeoff and land in 1/10 the space required of a conventional aircraft, to access locations only a helicopter can, at a fraction of the energy required 

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Navy is Exploring Using Ship-Based eSTOL Aircraft 96

The company’s eSTOL plane uses a special “blown lift” aerodynamic technique. It employs 8 electric motors to significantly increase wing lift. This multiplies lift so the plane can takeoff and land at just 35mph.

It only needs a 300ft X 100ft area to takeoff & land, and only produces 75 dBA at 300ft. So it’s very quiet, and can access places most aircraft can’t. It can carry up to 9 passengers, each with a 50 pound bag, and cover 500 miles (with 45 minute reserve).

Electra’s technology demonstrator aircraft is already conducting flight tests

Electra’s technology demonstrator aircraft took to the skies for the first time for an all-electric test flight on November 11, 2023. It was followed by a hybrid-electric flight November 19. The first flight lasted 23 minutes and reached 3,200 feet, flying approximately 30 miles. The tests were conducted at Manassas airport in Virginia.

Electra says their plane will deliver 2.5x the payload and 10X longer range, with 70% lower operating costs than vertical takeoff alternatives. With far less certification risk.

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Ongoing flight testing of Electra’s 2-seat eSTOL technology demonstrator aircraft showcases its capability to operate as a contested logistics platform with ground rolls as short as 150 feet. Electra’s production aircraft will carry 9 passengers or 2,500 pounds of cargo up to 500 miles. (Credit: Electra)

The Army and Air Force are also interested in Electra’s eSTOL aircraft.

And yes, it’s a fixed-wing. There’s no tilting of the wing or rotors for operation. So, it can be operated with a standard fixed wing pilot’s license.

Electra expects to start flight testing a full-scale prototype in 2026. They hope to bring the new plane to market by 2028, after achieving type certification under FAA’s Part 23 rules.

Richtofen: The Red Baron was the First Ace of Aces

Bill Walton
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Richtofen: The Red Baron was the First Ace of Aces

Manfred von Richtofen’s 80 Victories Was Tops For World War I

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On 21 April 1918, German ace Manfred von Richtofen was killed in action. Accounts vary as to whether the “Red Baron” was brought down by British Empire (Canadian) SE5A fighters or by ground fire while engaged in a low-altitude dogfight. Richtofen’s death ended the career of World War I’s leading ace of the Imperial German Army Air Service, with 80 confirmed aerial victories.

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Grounded With an Eye on the Skies

After his start in the cavalry, Richtofen began his career in the service as a reconnaissance officer on both the Eastern and Western Fronts, seeing action in Russia, France, and Belgium. Richtofen considered his talents wasted as a dispatch runner and telephone operator. When he was transferred to a supply assignment, he impulsively applied for and received a transfer to the Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches (Imperial German Army Air Service), later known as the Luftstreitkräfte. Manfred joined the flying service at the end of May in 1915, setting the stage for his future exploits in the air.

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Early Unconfirmed Kills

Richtofen scored an unconfirmed kill as an observer, then entered pilot training in October 1915 after meeting German ace Oswald Boelcke. Although he did not initially impress with his flying skills and even crashed on his first attempt, he persisted and gradually became proficient, eventually excelling with the German Albatros fighters. In April 1916, he scored another unconfirmed kill. Later, when Boelcke and Richtofen met again, Boelcke selected Richtofen for one of the first dedicated German fighter squadrons, Jagdstaffel 2.

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First Victory and those Silver Cups

Richthofen scored his first confirmed aerial victory on 17 September 1916. This started a 19-month period during which he ordered silver cups engraved with the type of aircraft he shot down and the date of each victory. He collected 60 cups but had to stop the practice due to a silver shortage in Germany. Despite this, he continued flying and accumulating victories. His tactics were considered conservative but effective; he and his squadron typically attacked from above, with the sun at their backs—tactics still in use today.

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Needing a More Agile (and Red) Fighter

Richthofen’s victory over British ace Major Lanoe Hawker VC on 23 November 1916 convinced him that he needed a more agile fighter. He flew several versions of Albatros biplanes before flying the iconic Fokker Dr.I triplane. Of his 80 victories, Richtofen scored only 19 in the triplane, and those came after its wings were strengthened. The first time he painted his fighter red was in January 1917.

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